MINISTER VISIT TO CROMWELL ROAD ALLOTMENTS

On 21 November, Hertford Town Council were delighted to receive a visit from the Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture from the British Virgin Islands (BVI), Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley.

The Minister was in Hertford primarily to meet with the Exec Members for Education and Officers at Hertfordshire County Council but also requested to visit some local allotments to discuss how they are organised and managed. There is interest in setting up farming allotments in the BVI under his Agriculture revitalisation programme and therefore he was keen to see how this is carried out.

The Minister was met by representatives from Hertford Town Council who arranged a tour to Cromwell Road Allotments. The Mayor, Cllr. Mrs Bolton said: "We were delighted to welcome the Minister and representatives from the BVI. The memorandum of understanding is an excellent initiative and we look forward to more collaborative working between our communities in the future”

The Minister was also keen to see how allotments can be used to support adults with learning disabilities and therefore was welcomed to the Mudlarks garden on the site where representatives from the Charity showed the work carried out.

A spokesperson from the Office of the Government of The British Virgin Islands added “The tour was one of the highlights of the Minister’s visit and he was very pleased to interact with the great group of people who joined us on the day. He took great interest in the model of the allotment as an entity managed by the Town Council in partnership with the Mudlarks charity. The dual purpose of encouraging community farming and supporting the needs of adults with learning disabilities was also a key takeaway as agriculture, education and special needs are key areas within the Minister’s portfolio.”

Photo: The Mayor of Hertford, Cllr Mrs Rosemary Bolton and BVI Minister Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley, with officers from BVI London House: Siobhan Flax, Tracy Bradshaw and Mr. Xante Challwell. Representatives from Hertford Town Council: Joseph Whelan, Cllr Mrs Sue Barber and Nick Kirby. Representatives from Mudlarks Charity; Mrs Victoria Hobson.